Eddie Jordan, Rutgers Reach Tentative Agreement on Head Coaching Job

Rutgers is turning to one of its greatest players to lead the basketball program out of one of its darkest hours and into a future that will see it enter the Big Ten Conference in 2014.

A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Los Angeles Lakers assistant Eddie Jordan has reached a tentative agreement to take over as coach of the scandal-marred program.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not officially announced the deal with its all-time leader in assists and steals.
The person said the two sides hammered out the five-year contract after Jordan returned to New Jersey. The deal needs to be reviewed by the university’s board of governors, and an official press conference might not happen until next Tuesday.

The agreement comes just more than two weeks after Rutgers fired Mike Rice after a video was aired that showed him grabbing and kicking players at practice, and using anti-gay slurs. The video was compiled from recordings taken during Rice’s three years as coach.

A board member familiar with the tentative contract said it has some legal issues that have to be addressed by the board. The member did not think the legal issues would be a problem, perhaps just a delay.